As of 2012, Baumeler Travel customers can book their journeys knowing they are fully carbon neutral. The voluntary CO2 compensation scheme includes not only the flight but all accommodation, transfers and further touristic services in the country of destination. A wind farm in Turkey and a series of climate audio trails in Switzerland are also supported in cooperation with the non-profit foundation, ‛myclimate’.

Baumeler Travel is the first Swiss travel organisation that offers full CO2 compensation to its customers. To this end, the specialist in hiking and biking holidays intensifies its cooperation with myclimate, a world-leading provider of voluntary carbon offsetting measures. Founded in 2002, as a spin-off of ETH Zürich, the non-profit foundation supports climate protection projects for renewable energies, energy efficiency and reduction of methane emission. The complete carbon emission of each Baumeler journey is calculated individually and compensated with 29.90 Swiss Francs per ton of CO2. Baumeler’s Manager, Michael Mettler, estimates that travellers will voluntarily compensate around 20,000–30,000 Swiss Francs in the year 2012. Those ‛climate francs’ are earmarked for the myclimate wind project in Turkey. Baumeler will offer a visit to this wind farm as part of a special tour, which will also be combined with the classic Cappadocia hiking trip.

Hiking the Climate Audio Trails in Switzerland
Baumeler will double the customers’ ‛climate francs’ and invest them over the next three years into the climate audio trails in Switzerland, which were designed by myclimate. They serve to educate and sensitize visitors about climate, which are aims that correspond to Baumeler’s credo of sustainability. By 2014, myclimate will have developed a total of 10 climate audio trails that respond to site-specific climate themes. The climate audio trail in Zermatt has already been produced, and is to be followed by the opening in St. Gallen in spring 2012. Visitors are actively involved and learn through audio guides, i.e. virtual Baumeler tour guides, relevant facts about the respective places climates or energies. This ensures Baumeler Reisen’s meaningful presence where schools, institutions, businesses, families and interested people obtain their information.

Emotional and Intellectual Added Value
“With myclimate, the wind farm in Izmir and the climate audio trails here in Switzerland, we have been able to tie together a sustainable and coherent package that makes climate compensation transparent and attractive. Once again, we offer our customers emotional and intellectual added value,” says Baumeler’s Manager, Michael Mettler.